Oh, do I love February! It's a double fun month for me, with Valentine's Day, my daughter and granddaughter's birthdays, and mine. And let me tell you, we celebrate all that to the max. I love planning fun Valentine events and special treats, and love doing something special for my girls every year. And, sick puppy that I am, I always throw myself a "surprise" birthday party, making my friends come over and play games with me. I truly believe it's not the big things that make our lives rich, but the many little things we do with and for each other.So, maybe you're wanting to have some Valentine fun this month. Throw a couples dinner party or get your girlfriends together for chick flicks and chocolate. Exchange Valentine cards and play games. If you're having trouble thinking of a game, feel free to try my FAVORITE PAIRS GAME. Can you figure them out?

FAVORITE PAIRS (Hint: They're not all people!)

S--- and P---erN------- and J--------A--- and E--E-------- B----- and M- D----G-- and T----C---- and S----C------ and M---C-------- and H---------M----- M---- and M----- M----L--- and E----P----- B----- and J----

Answers:Salt and PepperNapoleon and JosephineAdam and EveElizabeth Bennet and Mr. DarcyGin and TonicCream and SugarCookies and MilkCatherine and HeathcliffMickey Mouse and Minnie MouseLucy and EthelPeanut Butter and Jelly

Happy New Year! I love that greeting. It hopes the best for the others and ourselves. And while a new year doesn't always bring a pot of gold, instant fame, true love or ... whatever may be on our wish list, it does bring possibilities. Which is why I love to set goals for the new year. This year I, of course, have writing goals, which I'm already on my way to making, but I also have others. Top of the list is to make sure I spend un-rushed time with God every day. No, "Here's your twenty minutes. Now I've got you checked off the list." What quality relationship operates that way? So, how to make that happen? The same way as with any goal, I've decided. This is where we see the difference between those New Year's resolutions, which tend to die by the end of February, and goals, which we can work toward. You set your goal and then you map out the steps that will take you there. So, my plan to get there is simple: I have my studies set out for me and my starting time - first thing in the morning, every morning. Having a schedule will, I know, help me be consistent.What's your goal for the new year? To save more money? (Have you written a budget for the new year and found where you're going to cut expenses to make that happen?) Maybe you're wanting to get organized? (Have you mapped out the steps you want to take to get you there?) Gotta say, I need to get myself more together this year. I get in a hurry and don't take time to get organized.... then I waste a ton of time looking for what I lost. Hmm. I am going to have to go through millions of old folders on my computer desktop and do some updating. Ick! That sounds like work. In fact, I don't even want to do it cuz I know how much work it's going to be. So, I'll have to eat that particular elephant one bite at a time. Breaking those big to-do's down into small, bite size pieces is the way to go. I think I'll dedicate one morning every week to organizing and filing. If I can do a couple of files a week, I'll get there eventually. Oh, somebody hold my feet to the fire on that one!Now, how did we wander from the subject of you back to me? Oh, that's right. It's all about me. Hahahahah. Seriously, I wish you all the best in this new year. I hope you can meet some of your goals and that you're able to choose hope over discouragement, joy over sorrow and love over anger. I hope you're able to do some fun things and get in lots of laughter. I hope your days are filled with love and that if you're in the midst of a storm, you find that eye of the hurricane. In short, I wish you a happy new year.And here's to a happy one for us all!